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Friday, August 11, 2017

News TidBits from Week of August 7-11

Improvements continue at the Louisville/Winston County Airport.A recent grant approval from
the FAA will allow the airport to repair and redo the ramp area. Bids on the project have been accepted and the work is scheduled to start in October after the air show. Work is expected to be completed by Christmas. The $175,000 grant plus discretionary funds and funds already in place at the airport will help pay for the project.

In more airport news, the date has been set for this year's Wings Over Winston Air Show. The free event will be held on October 7th at the Louisville/Winston County Regional Airport. More promotional information will become available soon.

We recently reported that the storm shelters located at the temporary hospital location are now county property. In Monday's board meeting, supervisors agreed to the final of four locations for the shelters. They include: the Noxapater Fire Department, Beat 1 Barn , Beat 3 Barn and at Dean Park near the Center Ridge Community. The shelters have yet to be moved. Some site prep will be required at some of these locations. No timeline has yet been established.

The tax roll for 2017 has been finalized and approved by the Winston County Board of Supervisors . Still at issue is the status of Winston Plywood. Pending confirmation from the state level, the new industry's tax status is uncertain. The property may be tax exempt from City and County taxes yet required to pay school taxes or a fee in lieu option is on the table which would lower the taxes owed by the company but disperse it between the city and the county and the school.

Speaking of Taxes - The tax sale for unpaid 2016 property taxes will take place on August 28 at the Winston County Courthouse. A list of unpaid taxes will be published here on WinstonWebNews on Monday morning.

Parking was the topicof conversation at a town hall meeting held on Tuesday at Louisville City

Hall. A group of business owners, most from Main Street in Louisville participated in a meeting concerning parking issues and future changes in development in the four block area that constitutes the central business district of Louisville. Most considered parking issues to be a good problem to have - noting that it indicated activity in the area. Most of the issues stem from employee and owner parking not on Main Street but in areas behind stores. Concern about robbery, safety and access were the main topics. Mayor Will Hill and Economic Development Director Glen Haab took the opportunity to detail some ongoing and future plans for the community. Haab detailed some information about a grant called the Brownfield Grant which provides funds for business owners who have environmental issues with their property. The grant allows funding for testing and remedial action to correct the problem.

Enrollment remained steadyin the Louisville Municipal School District for the 2017/2018 school year. At the beginning of the school year, total enrollment across the district includes 2831 students.The following is the breakdown by school: Fair Elementary - 422, Louisville Elementary - 504, Eiland Middle School - 443, Louisville High School - 498, Noxapater- 392, Nanih Waiya- 572.